Swivel joint for handling steam or the like



June 27, 1950 D. c. WARREN SWIVEL JOINT FOR HANDLING STEAM oR THE LIKE/s /fa n 0 N f L] L w, .w 5 6 6 CMM Le w 5 .w @www ,I 4 .1m w D? n GMW aB V Z 7 E n z .ww 0 Z Patented June 27, 1950 UNITE-o. STATESP..zxiizlv'r former.

1 SWIVELl JOINT FOR HANDLING STEAM fi QRYTHEPIKE DoylerC.VWarrlen,.tlllonroviageCalif., assigner to Chiksan Company, Bre

' .of California a, Calif., a corporation Application December 3, 1945,serialNo. 632,568

Y sciame. (01.285-1-973)y This invention has to do with a joint andpacking'` for effectively and dependablyI handling steam, or likehot.iuids,.andy it is a general object of the invention to provide ajointfgand packing that is simple and inexpensive of manufacture,convenient to install andv replace when necessary, and whichis eifectivevand dependable in operation. Y f

Steam and like hot fiuidsare generally difficult to handle where swivelor working joints are required. AS a general rule materials that mosteffectively resist heat are not resilient or `pos,- sessed ofcharacteristics that make them effective for sealing against leaks,whereas rubber and like materials that make good seals do not withstandhigh temperatures. f

A general object vof my present invention isto provide a joint in whichthere is av continuous annular sealing ring, which ring is of heatresisting material and includes a resilient element that eifectivelyholds such material in sealing position.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a packing ringof heat resistingvmaterial and having sealing lips normally yieldinglyurged outward or in opposite directions vby a single springring. K Y.

It is another object of my invention to provide a packing ring of thetype hereinabove referred to `in which the packing material that is heatresistant and deformable to eiect a satisfactory seal is separablefromor formed separately from the spring ring which normally holds `thepacking lips in operating position so that these parts can be handledseparately and can be removed or replaced` separately when desired.

The various objects and features of my invention will be fullyunderstoodfrom the following `detailed description of typical preferred.forms and applications of the invention, throughout which descriptionreference is made -to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side view of a swing jointembodying the present invention, apart of the joint being broken away to show in section. I Fig. `2 is anenlarged, detailed sectionalv view of the packing body that I haveprovided, showing it in its originally formed shape, that is, in the`shape that it takes before being inserted in the joint. Fig. 3 is anenlarged detailed view through the construction that I have providedshowing the packing body in place in operating position with thespreader ring in position and the packing body and spreaderringfc'onlined in avjoint construction. Fig. `4 is a side elevation. ofa portion of Irelativey thereto.

va conduitsuch as a pipe, or the like. `ticular case illustrated theouter endrof the nipone form'ofspreader ring that I may'use. Fig. 5 is aview taken asindicated lby line 5 5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlargedsectional view takeny as indicated by line l---Iy on Fig. 5, showing theVspreader ring inV its normal expanded position. Fi g.7isva View similarto Fig. 4 showing another form of spreader ring, and Fig. 8 is a viewsimilar lto Fig. v6 showing the form of spreader ring illustrated inFig. 7. l 1

. The construction that I have provided bymy present invention isapplicable, generally, Ato

Y.jollis or connectionswhere two'parts turn one relative tothe other. Atypical example of such asituation is a swivel joint such as may involvean L section A and a nipple section B in which the nipple is joined toone end of the L to rotate In the drawings I have kshown such aconstruction and have kshown the sectionwith a fluid passage II! throughitl andI with an; enlarged end II having a socket I2 that receives theinner endV portion I3 of theY nipple. vThe outer end portion I5 of thenippley projects beyond the enlarged end of theV L section and isprovided with means for making connection with In vthe parple has` aninternally threaded Vportion I6 to receive a .pipe or like element.l Anopening or Afluid passage I1 is formed through the nipple I.andpreferably corresponds in size to the opening VIII-through the Lsection.

`.In accordance with the construction that I .have provided an annularspace substantially square in cross-section is provided where thevelements or sections A and B come together to carry the packing which Ihave provided. In the vpreferred form of the invention the inner endportion I8 ofthe socket I2 is in the form of a bore parallel with theaxis of the socket and the.l bottom I9 of the socket is flat and normalto the bore I8. The inner end 20 of the nipple visfiat yand parallel tothe bottom I9 of the socket `and is spaced a substantial distancetherefrom so that the packing is carried between these parts. vIn thepreferred construction an annular protective flange 2I continues.vinward from the inner end 20 of the nipple to overlie the packing and toclosely approach the bottom I9 of vthe socket, as clearly shown in Fig.1 of the drawings.

In the particular joint construction that I have illustrated two seriesof balls 25 are carried lin registering grooves 26 in the sections A andB so that the nipple is rotatably retained .in the. socket ofthe Lsection., A sealing .ring

misses `3K1 is carried by the nipple outward of the :retaining balls 25and serves to bear outwardly against the wall of the socket l2 toprevent dust or foreign matter from getting into the joint and to retainlubricant that may be introduced to the region where the balls 25operate. The

`particular sealing construction Vshown in the drawings is more fullyset forth and is claimed 1in my co-pending application entitled Seal forSwivel Joints filed on even date herewith, Serial The packing ring thatI have provided volves, generally, two parts, one a body 40 of packingmaterial and the other a spreader ring 4I which acts in the body 40 toactuate its seal'- ing parts. In accordance with my invention I `formthe body 40 of a mixture of composition of material that Willeffectively resist heat and temperature changes such as occur when steami or like hot fluids is being handled. In practice I may usevarious'materi'als in the formation of Athe body 48. However, I preferin practice to formthe body primarily of' asbestos or the like, 'and Ihave found it advantageous to rsorm it of ja rmixture of asbestos andneoprene or' polychloroprene in which the asbestos is the principalelementinvolved while the neoprene servesas a binder to hold theasbestos in a` solidbody.

By thus forming the body 4D of-th'e paeking- 'of asbestosor the' likebound by a'material such as neoprene it is possible to mold or'form'itinto any1V 'desired shape and it is preferred, 'when `employing'the joint construction that I1-have 'set forth, to mold it in-the formof afcontinuous i annular'- part or ring so that itis free of joints'that mightlead to leakage.

The body 40 in its preferred form has an outer vthe shape andcharacteristics that I am about t @escribe In the case of the spreaderring `shown Vin Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings or ring portion 43which has a flat or Smooth vouter sideor periphery 44 and flat ends45.1In

. addition to the ring portion y43 the body V40 has 3 inwardlyprojecting annular side anges 46,:the 'outer-end portions 41 of whichform sealing: lips and have iiat surfaces 48 adapted to bear-or seatagainst at parts such as the bottom "I9 -of thesocket or the end 20 ofthe nipple. "The 3 outer sides 50 of the projecting flanges 46 inward ofthe flat surfaces 48 are recessed or made concave and by thisconstruction the anges are allowed to readily compress from'theposition-shown in Fig. 2 to the positionshown in Fig. 3, and to beeffectively `pressedasloythe spreader ring 4 l vas will behereinafter-described. f '-Thepacki'ng body 4l; may be uniformincharacter orA` texture throughout or it may have rings 'or sections v5lofreinf'orlg material embedded or` incorporatedr in it, vascircumstances may-reicuire. VAL#By incorporating'reinforcing ringsl`iorrnedof Ymetal wire in the body in-thema'nner such Yas is showninFigs. 2 `and 3-f-of 'the drawings, the body is effectively'held/against.: 'd iste'i'tien from its desired shape;YIn-pr-'aft'stice-'I proportion the body 4|lof packing so"thatthe"peripheral surface 544 thereofslidablyfiit'sinto 'thefboreyl of thesocketI2,-while` the' sidewalls P45 t'snug'ly against thebottornl9-'and.ei1df2ll of the socket and nipple, respectively.

` The, inner sides of the flanges-*46 may `bef-flat `'at-lill' wherethey are opposite they par-tela A'and as'they progress inwardly'they arecurved or lto form one continuous concave surface-formed about' asingley or common lcenterfY The spreader ring 4I a metal-ring formed tramaterial having. the' desiree'rsmeneeand made concave, as at el, so thatthey Aririally join?y ring Z4 I l engagement orpressureengagjementbetween the there is a continuous annular rim or web10, the

'outer surface 1i Vof which is convex and curved to seat againstthe'concave surface provided by the inner sides 6l of the flanges 46. Inaddition to theweb 1n thespreader ring has side flanges 12 which projectinwardly from the web and are preferably normally divergent as clearlyshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In the particular form `of lringunderVv consideration the anges `12 are interrupted by a plurality ofnotchesor openings f'l3s that-#they are notv continuous but, rather,are, ineffect, a' plurality .of individual parts `free '.tofi'exindividuallyplln the normal position and Ybefore :being arrangedvinoperating position in "the Yjoint,'the vlangeslZ-vare apart, but as thestructure is assembled the ring is .applied to the packingbodyln betweentheiianges 46 to press jthe''angeslite-outwardly and when the joint isfinally-assembled vthe end or longitudinal pressure 'applied tofbPng thenipple into position in the ysoketzs'ofthe' balls can be inserted inthe'grooves causes tlf-ieflanges .46tolbe moved in and the'ange'sfllf-in :turn depress or. move 'thefianges 12 in to a positionsubstantiallylas shown in Fig. 3 othe'diawings. :Because :ofVv theresiliencev of the'. spreader ringithe flanges 12 normally tend Vtoexpander bear outwardly andlthus force the `:flanges 46 out or apart andinto suitable'pressure engagement with. the bottomflil andtend 2l) ofthe socketv and nipple.'respectively. ByM suitably f'c'riini shaping.and proportioning'- the spreader f i-ar'n .able.-to..-gain lftheldesired sealing flangesB--andithe `par-ts to -be sealed. f Further, itis to be noted that Ido not, with theconstruc.-

`inherent resiliency. Jeri-life.4 o'f the packingl body L40! toVY-Imaintain .a pressure-tight connection;y but rely upon-thefspreaderring 4l to press the packin'glfrjiiateria1outward,A thepacking materialbeing somewhat deformabie'sof that it shapes itself or conforms -to lthe surfaces [against -Whicn' it is fpres'sedby the-'spreader ring;`

i YIn Ythe `'particillar ftormof Vspreadery ring shown 'infthe/,drawings one flange`I -of the' ring' is made .longerlgor lfprojectsfurther invv'ardk than the'other to'engagethe .extension' '12! vof thevnipple and throughthisfengagement the'spreader ring is 4kept;centralizedandthe packing-49 is eectively held out or expandedsothat itrernainsseated rifi-thebereI Soi the'socket.

n the-'form 'of Vthe invention-shown lin Figs.

ico'nstructien' is' somewhat more simple than that raboveYdescribed-yar'idV it may be employed Twhen it is .desiredto makea ring-that will exertv a sub'- istantial amount ofipr'essureagainst theflanges 'not the .packinglsince a' relatively strong or` stiff I I twspreader ringcan,befmadelinjhis manner..

which is such as to be resistant to the/Huidl being in' Having describedyCfnily4 typical preferred yforms and applications of my invention, I:do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details hereinset forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modificationsthat may .appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scopeof the following claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination two tubular elements coupled in aligned relation forrelative rotation about an axis longitudinal of the elements, one of theelements having a socket entering it from one end, the socket having aflat bottom in a plane normal to the said axis and the other elementhaving a nipple entering the socket land having a at end face parallelwith and spaced from the bottom axially of said element, an annularpacking body between the bottom and end face with flexible flangesIextending radially inward and engaging the bottom and the end face, anda resilient spreader ring engaging the packing body between the ilangesspreading the anges apart axially of said elements and into pressureengagement with both the bottom and end, the spreader ring engaging oneof said elements and being supported thereby concentrically of saidaxis.

2. In combination, two tubular elements coupled in aligned relation forrelative rotation about an axis longitudinal of the element, one of theelements having a socket entering it from one end, the socket having anat bottom, in a plane normal to the said axis and the other elementhaving a nipple entering the socket and having a flat end face parallelwith and spaced from the bottom axially of said elements, an axialtubular flange projecting from the said face at the inner peripherythereof and toward the bottom, an annular packing body around saidflange and between the bottom and end face with flexible flangesextending radially inward and engaging the bottom and the end face, anda resilient spreader ring engaging the packing body between the flangesspreading the anges apart axially of said elements and into pressureengagement with both the bottom and end, the spreader ring engaging theange and being supported thereby concentrically of said axis.

3. In combination, two tubular elements coupled in aligned relation forrelative rotation about an axis longitudinal of the element, one of theelements having a socket entering it from one end, the socket having anat bottom in a plane normal to the said axis and the other elementhaving a nipple entering the socket and having a fiat end face parallelwith and spaced from the bottom axially of said elements, an axialtubular flange projecting from the said face at the inner peripherythereof and toward the bottom, an annular packing body around saidilange and between the bottom and end faceswith ilexible flangesextending radially inward and engaging the bottom and the end face, anda resilient spreader ring having spaced parts bearing on the inner sidesof the packing body, one of said spaced parts engaging the exterior ofthe said axial rlange whereby the spreader ring is supportedconcentrically therewith.

4. A packing ring including an annular body formed of packing material,the body having a ring portion and axially spaced anges projectingradially inward from the ring portion at the ends thereof and having atouter sealing surfaces, and a resilient metal spreader ring within thering portion and between the flanges, the spreader ring having ilangeportions projecting radially inward from the ring portion and engagingand bearing outwardly against the inner sides of the anges of the body,one flange portion of the spreader ring being of greater extent radiallyof the ring than the other and projecting radially inward from the body.

5. In combination, two tubular elements coupled in aligned relation forrelative rotation about an axis longitudinal of the element, one of theelements having a socket entering it from one end, thev socket having a,flat bottom in a plane normal to the said axis and the other elementhaving a nipple entering the socket `and having a fiat end face parallelwith and spaced from the bottom axially of said elements, an axialtubular ange projecting from the said face at the inner peripherythereof and toward the bottom, an annular packing body around said angeand between the bottom and end face with flexible flanges extendingradially inward and engaging the bottom and the end face, and aresilient spreader ring engaging the packing body between the flangesspreading the flanges apart axially of said elements and into pressureengagement with both the bottom and end, the spreader ring having anannular part conforming to the interior of the packing body between theilanges thereof and having side anges projecting radially inward fromsuch annular part and engaged with the inner sides of the flanges of thepacking body, one of the said side flanges of the spreader being ofgreater radial extent than the other and projecting radially inward fromthe inner periphery of the flange of the body with which it is engagedand engaging the exterior of the said axial tubular ilange to besupported thereby and concentrically therewith.

DOYLE! C. WARREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 917,690 Weese Apr. 6, 19091,363,565 Christenson Dec. 28, 1920 1,808,262 Heleshaw June 2, 19311,871,299 Bragg et al Aug. 9, 1933 1,931,922 Damsel et al Oct. 24, 19331,958,120 'Iuxbury et al May 8, 1934 1,989,980 Hamer Feb. 5, 19352,052,603 Christenson Sept. 1, 1936 2,076,716 Fretter Apr. 13, 19372,088,703 Hubbard et al Aug. 3, 1937 2,162,104 Mosher June 13, 19392,165,052 Hering July 4, 1939 2,301,097 Tweedale Nov. 3, 1942 2,382,375Allen et al Aug. 14, 1945

